Membership Q&A
Does FORA have more than one type of membership?
FORA has two types of memberships; one is considered a regular or “permanent” membership and the other is a “temporary” membership. The permanent membership comes with voting rights. These members reside in Fair Oaks Estates and certain parts of Fair Woods Estates. The temporary members do not have voting rights and reside outside the permanent membership boundary.
What is the relationship between FOEHA and FORA?
For residents of Fair Oaks Estates, The FOEHA (Fair Oaks Estates Homeowner’s Association) and the FORA (Fair Oaks Recreation Association) are two separate entities. Though the FORA leases the pool grounds from the homeowner’s association, FOEHA does not manage the pool and does not currently have insight into FORA dues or memberships. New neighbors that move into Fair Oaks Estates should work with the FORA, not the FOEHA, when it comes to pool business. FORA memberships are not included in FOEHA dues/fees.
If a seller of a home in Fair Oaks Estates has paid the initiation fee to FORA, does the buyer also have to pay the initiation fee to FORA?
Not necessarily. It depends on whether the seller was a “permanent” member in good standing with FORA. A buyer should contact FORA at fairoaksmembership@gmail.com in order to determine whether the seller is a member in good standing with FORA.
If I want to be able to transfer my permanent FORA membership to the buyer of my home but I don’t want to keep paying the annual membership dues, what should I do?
Membership dues must be paid by April 1 of each year. Sellers that wish to transfer their permanent memberships with their homes need to take care to keep their memberships active by A): Paying the upcoming season’s dues or B): paying an “inactive fee” that pays for permanent membership management and retention. Members may not use the club facilities while their membership is in “inactive” status. Memberships can be activated from the inactive status by paying the difference between the inactive fee and the permanent membership fee. As an example, in 2017, the inactive fee was $150, and the active fee for permanent members was $450, a difference of $300. Members may not remain in an inactive status indefinitely; eventually the inactive status will change to expired and any homeowner wishing to renew the membership will need to repay the initiation fee.
Does the Seller of a home in Fair Oaks Estates have a duty to inform the Buyer of that home whether or not they are a member in good standing with FORA?
The home buyer and the home seller are responsible for the status of the permanent membership transfer. All home sellers and home buyers in Fair Oaks Estates should contact FORA directly to determine whether the membership is in good standing before including the membership in a transaction. The FORA assumes no responsibility for the membership transfer other than providing membership information, since the relationship is between the buyer of the home and the seller of the home, not the FORA.
Do I have to be a member in good standing with FORA in order to swim at the Fair Oaks Estates pool?
Yes. The Fair Oaks Pool facilities can only be used by members in good standing. While members can bring guests, “guest passes” cannot be used for people residing within the permanent membership boundary. Instead, people that live within the permanent membership boundary should contact the FORA to obtain an appropriate membership.
I am a member living within the permanent membership boundary and a FORA member in good standing. I am moving to a neighborhood outside of the permanent membership boundary. Can I transfer my FORA membership?
No. Permanaent FORA memberships are address-specific and cannot be transferred between houses.
